Universal coupling between sections of coaster cars



CARL EI. PHARE:

C. E. PHARE UNIVERSAL GOUPLTNG BETWEEN SECTIONS OF CDASTER CARS Filed Feb.

March 17, 1931.

Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES 4fPlTENT OFFICE CARL E. PHARE, OF PORTLAND, OREGON UNIVERSAL COUPLING BETWEENSECTIONS F COASTER CARS Application filed February 1, 1980. `Serial 110,425,319.

This invention is directed to an improvecompanion support 22 also of angle form is ment in couplings designed primarily for use secured to the cross brace 12 of the leading for providing a universal connection between car, this support being preferably tired by cars employed as coaster cars and the like in means of one of the bolts used to secure the 5 amusement parks. support 21. `M;

The primary object of the invention is the Y The supports 21 and 22 thus arranged provision of a universal coupling of this type provide spaced parallel portions projecting which, when in position, will absolutely prerearwardly from the cross brace 12, and the vent any possibility of separation of the cars coupling member 18 is mounted for rotary and yet will permit relative play between the movement in the support thus provided. o

cars necessary in the particular use to pre- This coupling member 18 includes a blockvent a leading car through its movement hav like clement in which a pin 19 serving as an ing a tendency to derail a following car. axle is arranged. The pin 19 extends in both The invention is illustrated in the accomdirections beyond the block 1S and the propanying drawings, in which: jecting portions of the pin are mounted in c5 Figure 1 is a broken plan view showing the openings in the respective supports 21 and adjacent ends of interconnected cars of a 22, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

train designed for track travel in an amuse- The forward brace 1st of the following car nient park or the like. is provided with supports including angle 20 Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of F igmembers 2G and 27 bolted to the brace 14. 70

ure 1. These angle members have forwardly pio- Figure 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Figjecting spaced supportingparts and these ure 2. parts are arranged in superimposed relation,

In the accompanying drawings, the details and may if desired have convergent side of the coaster car, aside from the specific edges, as indicated in Figure 1. A block 24 features hereinafter described and claimed, `forming the Cooperating member of the unimay be of any conventional type. For the versal coupling is arranged between the suppurposes of the present invention, such cars ports `2G and 27 and terminally provided may be briefly defined as including a platwith trunnions 25 which are mounted for forni 10 on which the seats 11 are supported, pivotal play in suitable bearing openings in co the platform being mounted on cross braces the supports, all as clearly shown in Figures 12 and 14 which connect side sills 13, the side 2 and sills having wheel supports 15 in which the 'llieblock 1S includes a rod-like extension wheels 16 are mounted to travel on tracks 17. 20 which is designed to pass through an open- 35. The universal coupling is made up of intering arranged centrally of the block 24, a S` related parts which are connected to the rear wear plate or washer and securing and lockci'oss brace 12 of the leading car and the foring nuts 23 being arranged upon the rod 2O ward cross brace 14 of the following car. beyond the block 24 to maintain the con- The coupling includes two members 18 and ncction. 24 connected for universal movement and From the foregoing description, it will be each supported for rotation with relation to understood that the block 18'is mounted for the respective cars to which they are conswinging in a vertical plane due to the horinected. zontal alignment of its trunnions 19, while An angle support 21 is secured to the rear the block24 is mounted for rotary movement cross bar 12 of the leading car and to the side `in a horizontal plane due to the vertical ai'- g5 sill 13 on one side of the car, this angle suprangement of its "trunnions 25. The block port being bolted directly to the cross brace 18 is also mounted Lfor rotary movement with 12 and to the side sill 13, there being a block respect to the block 24 through the medium interposed between the support and side'sill otthe rod 20. to maintain the rigidity of the support. A lt will be apparent, therefore, that the cars ma are connected against separation and can only be separated by the removal of the holding nuts 23. However, either car 1s permitted a substantially universal movement` with respect to the other through the combined vertical, horizontal and rotary permissible movements of the universal coupling.

t will, of course, be understood that if the nuts 23 are tightened to a degree to prevent independent rotary movement of the rod 20, there is still a substantially complete universal connection or coupling between the cars owing to the mounting of the respective coupling parts for swinging movement in planes at right angles to each other.

The coupling as an'entirety may be readily applied to any cars now in use merely by the application of the 'supports to the respectlve 'cross bars of such cars, and when so connected there is no possibility of any undue movementV of either car tending to ls-o iniuence the preceding or following car as to incur the possibility of derailment of said Cll.

What is claimed to be new is:

l. A' universal coupling for coaster' cars, including a horizontally arranged support fixed to one of the cars, a vertically arranged support fixed to the other of said cars, a block mounted in the irst support for swinging in a vertical plane, a block mounted in the second support for swinging in a horizontal plane, 'a rod extending from the irst block and through the second block, and means for securing the rod beyond the second block.

2. fr support for coaster cars, including an angle liron support for one of saidcars, a block mounted 'for vswinging in a vertical f v plane in said support, a secondv support secured to the other of said cars and including vertically superimposed plates, a block having terminal trunnions mounted in the respective plates, and means lor removably connecting the blocks, said means being `integral with one or" the blocks and 'passed i v through the other of said bloc rs and secured tbereb'ey-on d.

" support for coaster cars, including an angle .iron support for one of said cars, a block mounted for swinging in a vertical piane in said support, a second support secured to the other of said cars and including vertically superimposed,plates, a block having yterminal trunnions mounted in the respective plates, means for removably connecting the blocks, said means including a red integral with one of the blocks and passed through and mounted for rotation in the other of said blocks, and securing nutsto prevent the separation of the rod from the i.

block through which it passes.

' ln testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature.

CARL E. PHARE. 

